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Monday, 31 December 2012

2012 is coming to an end and it's about that time when people formulate a list of things they wish to achieve in the new year. I hardly ever make New Year's Resolutions, mostly as I'm never able to stick to them, but this time around feels slightly different. I think it's because there are so many things I wish to achieve/ do in the year of 2013. I thought I'd share with you some of my hair- related and blog- related New Year's Resolutions.

1. Blog more frequently.

2.Trim my hair! I've been putting it off for so long.

3. Make a U-part wig.

4. Decide once and for all whether I want to start making YouTube videos... I've been toying with the idea ever since I started my blog.

Monday, 24 December 2012

Saturday, 22 December 2012

It has now been 25 weeks since my last relaxer, woohoo! This is initially how long I planned to stretch my relaxer for, as I explained all those months back in my Relaxer Update #3 post. I'm quietly confident that I can go the full way and transition. I know I expressed I had some doubts before, but so far this 'journey' hasn't been too bad. Just another year and a half to go!

On the other hand, a reason why its going so well so far is because, as you know, my hair is in braids at the moment. I guess I'll have to wait and see whether I feel the same way once I've taken them out lol.

In my previous two posts I explained everything new that I'm doing, methods-wise, now that my hair is in braids. You can view them hereand here.

This month I thought I'd take a shot at using dry shampoo, which I reviewed in my previous post. My experience with it was okay but if I'm being totally honest I haven't touched it since I wrote that review, if not before that. I think I prefer washing my braids the old- fashioned way, with a bit of warm water and a lather-y shampoo. You can't go wrong!

In terms of new growth it's hard to tell just how much I have as I didn't install the braids tightly to my scalp. Today, however, I took out a few visible braids which were slightly loose/scruffy with the intention of redoing them. But before I did that I thought it would be a good opportunity to show you my hair. The picture above shows my hair (against a white sheet of paper) after I removed the braid. In the picture on the left, my hair is simply two strand twisted. It really shows how thin my (relaxed) hair is compared to my actual hair.The image on the right shows the same two strand twist, unravelled. I guess it has grown slightly. What do you guys think? It definitely feels a lot thicker and softer anyway.

I think that's all I have to report for this month. So how has your hair been behaving this month?

Monday, 17 December 2012

I've realised it's been a very long time since I've done a tag on my blog. I personally like reading tags on other blogs as I find them really interesting and you get to know the person behind the blog a little better.

I've seen the 'That's that stuff I don't like' tag going around a few blogs (and more recently the hair edition) and so I thought I'd give my two cents.

1. I don't like employees at the hair shop who follow me around every aisle and watch my every move. It makes me feel so uncomfortable.

2. I don't like when wet hair touches my face.

3. I don't like finding shed hair on clothes from my weaves. What's even more annoying is trying to remove a bundle of shed hair from my carpet.

4. The hype over Herbal Essences conditioners? I mean, its a good conditioner and smells amazing, but I've used better. I've also come to realise it actually makes my hair feel really dry :S (unless I dilute it with water beforehand)

5. Smelly weaves

6. Small talk in the salon. I don't like small talk in general but in the salon it can be so awkward at times.

7. I don't like when coconut oil melts lol. It always happens when you need to use it, and takes forever to solidify again.

8. I don't like when you spend ages on a hairstyle just to get it messed up by the wind!

Gosh, I sound rather negative haha

I tag anyone reading this! What are some of the things you don't like??

And, if you've done this tag already then be sure to leave a link in the comments! :)

Friday, 14 December 2012

Here's part 2 of how I maintain my braids and my real hair. Like I said in part 1, the only differences between my normal hair regimen and my braids regimen are the methods used and the regularity.

So, every other week, on a Sunday, I wash and deep condition my hair as usual using my Elasta QP Creme Conditioning shampoo (which you guys know i looove) and any deep conditioner I have around me at the time (at the moment I'm going through the process of finding a new DC). For the week in between, I will just co-wash. Last year with my Senegalese twists I would co-wash one week and shampoo the next week, however this time around I wanted to give dry shampoo a try. This is the first time I have used a dry shampoo. I've always been interested in how you could possibly clean your hair without water.

In the October/ November issue of Black Beauty and Hair magazine, they recommended Organic Root Stimulator's Herbal Cleanse Dry Shampoo as a good, inexpensive product to use for keeping your scalp clean whilst it's in braids.

So, before I considered buying it I obviously did my research to check it had none of the bad stuff I'm trying to stay away from. Also I was interested in reading its reviews. So after all the research I decided to go ahead and buy it. It was £2.69 from Paks (8 FL.Oz/ 237 ml).

ORS say that this product is 'perfect for: maintaining braids and other natural styles, starting locks and bedridden patients'.

So as it was my first time using a dry shampoo I went exactly by the instructions. Basically, I applied it directly to my hair and massaged it in. I then let it sit for one minute and then removed the residue with a warm damp towel. I haven't used a towel on my hair for who- knows- how- long. I'm not really of fan of that. Now looking back, I think that using an old T-shirt would have been just as good.

In terms of the consistency of the product, it reminds me slightly of a light gel. It's exactly the consistency of hand sanitiser gel. In fact, I guess it works in the same way the hand sanitiser does.When it was on my scalp it did start to tingle slightly. And when I rubbed some of my finger tips it also tingled and dissolved away. In terms of the smell, it smells strongly of lavender. I read a review where the person went on and on about how good it smelt, but to be honest its not to my taste.

My verdict

I think it does do what it claims to do. My hair/ scalp did feel fresh and clean as if I'd just shampoo- washed it. The smell is slightly over-powering. It reminds me of Vicks Vaporub, the rub you put on your chest when you have a cold/ flu lol. After a while the smell began to irritate me slightly as it was so strong.

I think this product is good for use in between your wash days, or after a work out etc. I probably would use it again as I like the idea of shampoo'ing without having to use water BUT it would be nice if they had toned down the aroma a little.

So just to summarise, I shampoo-wash my scalp one week and co-wash the next week (Typically on Sundays). Afterwards, I apply my leave-in conditioner and moisturise and seal as normal. I have only used the dry shampoo twice since I bought it.

So have any of you tried this or any other dry shampoo?

In other news, I reached 6 months post relaxer as of Tuesday (11th)! Yay! My Transition Update post will be coming soon!

Tuesday, 11 December 2012

Heyy guys! So as promised I'm bringing you my Braids Maintenance post. There hasn't been a great deal of change when it comes to the products i'm using, but more the regularity and methods. First i'll start off with moisturising my actual hair.

As you can see I use exactly the same products to moisturise and seal, however whilst my hair has been in braids I am M+S'ing every other day. I feel like doing it everyday would be too much and too greasy. I've been switching between moisturising with S-Curl and Cantu Shea Butter. I usually use Cantu as a leave- in but it works really well on my new growth leaving it soft and feeling moisturised. I think I actually prefer using it over S-Curl as I find myself reaching for it more these past couple of weeks. To moisturise, I simply put the product on my scalp along the partings. When installing the braids I parted my hair horizontally and each braid is layered on top of each other in a 'brick' pattern. This allows me to get into the parts with ease.
Unlike my normal hair regimen, I always seal with my Jamaican Black Castor Oil. I did this last year when I had Senegalese twists and achieved good results. As the oil is quite thick I use the tiniest amount so to ensure my scalp isn't too greasy.

Although the hair used for my braids is synthetic/kanekalon hair it can still look dull at times, especially as I concentrate on M+S'ing my real hair only. To freshen up the braids now and then I spray Conditioner and water onto it. This is my DIY braid spray. You can buy commercialised braid sprays from any hair/ beauty supply shop, but I thought I could save my money and try and use up my last few bottle- squeezes of conditioner.
I don't use any real measurements; just a few squeezes of the conditioner. I then fill up the rest of the 100ml spray bottle with water. Not only does it moisturise my braids, it also leaves it smelling lovely! :)

In part 2 I'll be explaining further how I cleanse my hair whilst its in braids.

Tuesday, 4 December 2012

It's always around this time of the year that I put my hair away to protect it from this awful weather, plus I wanted a bit of a change, and so I got braids! :D As you know last year I got senegalese twists but I thought this year I'd do your regular 'box braids' as they're known.

I did the braids myself and I've got to say I'm actually very proud of myself lol. It took me quite a while to learn how to do them but I'm glad I got the hang of it eventually as I was able to save myself 60/ 70 odd £s I would've had to pay had I gone to the salon.
If you are interested in doing your own braids but have no idea where to start I would suggest looking at these two YouTube videos which I personally found extremely helpful: BlackWomenHair and WomanInTheJungle. In the end I used the method from the tutorial by WomanInTheJungle.

I used 2 (and a bit) packs of Xpressions Jumbo braid hair in colour 1b. The hair is 82" long and so I cut it into 3 equal pieces. As I'm quite short, the hair (un-plaited) came up to bra strap-ish length. When I was done plaiting, I sealed the ends with boiling hot water to ensure it wouldn't unravel.

I hope to keep these in for 2 months but I'm missing my hair already so I may be tempted to take them out sooner lol. In my next post I'll be sure to share with you my hair care routine for these braids and other little maintenance tips :)

So have any of you tried braiding yourself? If so, how did it go? Also, feel free to share any of your personal tips for protective styling in the comments below.

Sunday, 25 November 2012

I've been asked a few times where I purchase my Jamaican Black Castor Oil from, as it can sometimes be difficult to get hold of, so I thought I'd share a short list of some of the places for you to take your pick from. You can click the image to be directed straight to the JBCO page. All links open in a new window.

Thursday, 22 November 2012

I thought I'd let you know about a new company I came across around a month ago called RoseBox who are launching today (22/11/12).

RoseBox UK is 'a new subscription service for women looking for Natural Hair Care and Skin Care products in the UK'.

The service is similar to that of GlossyBox/ Jolie Box and CurlBox in the states, but it's the first of its kind here in the UK.

RoseBox held a launch party two thursdays ago, which I was unable to attend sadly. It would have been a good thing to blog about, but from reading other blog posts on the event, it sounds like it was a success.

The box will include a mini magazine full of information and 5 sample products with at least one full sized product. There will be a mixture of some well- known brands as well as some niche products for customers to try out. Like the GlossyBox, RoseBox can be purchased on a monthly or annual subscription as well as the option of making a one off purchase. The box retails at £20 per month with a £2.95 postage and packaging charge.

You don't necessarily have to be natural to purchase this box, but if you're interested in trying out natural products, and with that i mean products with all natural ingredients, then this box may be for you.

Also, if you are a self- confessed product junky, this box may also be for you as it allows you to feed your junky-ism without committing yourself to a full sized product.

RoseBox's website is set to launch today with 50 boxes available to purchase, so it will be first come, first serve (There will be more boxes available next month). I have the worst luck so I doubt I will be one of the first 50 lol, but if this service does interest you, and you manage to purchase one then let me know what you think of it!

You can make a purchase and find out more information from their website (when it launches later today): www.roseboxuk.com

Thursday, 15 November 2012

So as it says in the title, i am now 5 months post. Yay! It's come around quick!

As I described in my last transition update post, there are still no troubles this month. The transition is going rather well... though I hope I haven't jinxed myself now.

I haven't done anything particularly fancy this month. I've just been wearing my hair in a bun most days.

I'm preparing to straighten my hair next week for my graduation, eek! Heat hasn't passed my hair since my last relaxer (26th June '12)... so its been a good while. I'm slightly nervous. At this point I should explain I'm only straightening a small section of leave out (I'm going to give my clip-ins another go). To some it may not be a big deal, but to me it sorta is lol. I'm going to be sure to slap on heaps of the heat protector for increased protection. The last thing I want is damage of any sort, especially on my hair which has just grown in. It would almost seem like such a waste of new growth, you know what I mean.

Speaking of which, I'm loving my new growth at the moment. As usual I cannot stop touching it lol. I'm starting to see a pattern now in the curls. I've found that this pattern isn't the same for my entire head i.e the curls seem to be tighter in the middle sections of my head, and fairly looser on the sides. In the image above, I held a white piece of paper against my new growth to show you guys more of the defined curls. The image on the left side shows my new growth at its maximum length; I just held my hair taut. The image on the right shows my new growth without me having to 'stretch' or pull it. So my new growth lies naturally at around 50% of its true length.

At this point I have no idea what hair type I am. I thought I was 4a possibly 3c? The whole hair type malarkey isn't entirely important to me, but if any of you have an idea of what i may be, then by all means let me know :)

I think that's all for this months update. My regimenis still exactly the same, and I haven't incorporated any new products or methods this month. It's been pretty stress- free :)

Wednesday, 31 October 2012

So I thought i'd start doing monthly favourites as a way of sharing what i'm loving each month, and also as a way of showing my interests other than hair...

... Buuut, as i do blog about hair care i had to sneak it into my monthly favourites.

1. S-Curl No drip Activator Moisturiser

I'm loving this moisturiser. I know it's a bit hit and miss with a few people with most criticisms being that it makes your hair look wet lol but i've found that a little goes a long way. This is even better as it means it lasts longer for me. I'm still on the same bottle from my review way back when.

2. Mane n' Tail Detangler

If you read my last post you'll already know about my love for this detangler. It's definitely made this months detangling much easier after washing my hair. And the smell is gorg!

3. Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo
I'm loooving this shampoo. I definitely sung its praises in the mini review i did on it and i still stand by everything i wrote. If this shampoo ever got discontinued i would genuinely be so upset lol. I'd walk around like a lost child trying to find a good enough replacement.4. H&M Mini Hair clips
This month i picked up these hair clips from h&m for only £1.50. Steal!
I've been looking for accessories like this for a while now to help style my braid/twistouts. I like that they're miniature, because to be honest i dont wear hair accessories that often and these are nice and discreet, plus they do the job.

5. Victoria's Secret Body Mist in Vanilla Lace

With the opening of the new Vickys in my neck of the woods i thought i'd try out their infamous body mists. This is my sceeent! I wear it literally everyday. I love the smell of vanilla, and as it's a body mist its not too overpowering. It doesn't last all day but it does last a full work day which is still okay for me.

6. Sudocrem

Sudocrem takes me back to my childhood! And I've started using it again at the tender age of 21. I find that its great for when a spot appears. I just put the cream on the spot before i go to bed and by the time i wake up the next morning its gone or has gone down at least. It's great!

7. Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Wipes

These wipes are so refreshing and kind to my skin. Simple is one of my favourite skincare ranges as i have quite sensitive skin. I find that each wipe is very moist... and cold, which i really like as it make me feel like i'm giving my skin a good cleanse. They're great for taking off my makeup too!

8. Mac Hug Me and Revlon Black Cherry

I know i've named the two lipsticks but i think lipsticks in general are one of my favourites for this month. Usually i'm good to go with some Vaseline or a lip balm lol but I've started wearing my lipsticks more often, even if it's just a nude colour. My favourite nudes are constantly switching between Mac Hug Me and Mac Touch. I feel that they compliment me well. You guys already know how much I love Black Cherry. The perfect vampy shade for this time of the year. Click here for an old school post.

9. Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara

In a way i regret including this; not because i don't like it, but because on analysis i haven't used it as much as the others. But oh well, the picture's been taken now lol. It's still my go- to mascara. I'm too much of a wuss to try fake lashes and so this is my alternative :) I like that it doesn't clump or smudge. I also like the fact that i can wear it on its own and still look like i've made somewhat of an effort, if that makes sense.

10. Carex Hand Sanitizing gel

Since Uni i've been such a germ freak. Actually i wouldn't go that far... Lets just say i'm 'germ- conscious'. My friend was exactly the same and now i think it's rubbed off on me. I wouldn't say i use this at every chance i get, but it's been a favourite of mine this month as its so small, it can fit in my bag, and i can clean my hands on the go. I find the Carex branded one in particular is the best i've tried so far as my hands doesn't leave my hands feeling dry after using it, like others i've tried. Plus it doesn't have a weird scent like most sanitizers.

My last favourite for this month is the film, One Day. Now, before i watched this film i wasn't really a fan of what you call 'chick flicks' as most seem to be so predictable. I love a good action film, and the occasional comedy, but essentially explosions, car chases, and evil villains are more my cup of tea. One Day is an adaptation of the bestselling book by David Nicholls which i actually wanted to read first as I don't mind romance novels. But as the film was on Sky i thought I'd watch it before it got deleted. I think this is potentially one of my favourite films lol. The relationship between the two main characters is so sweet, and i found that i could actually relate to them and parts of their story. It's not at all soppy or predictable as i previously thought of most chick flicks (in my opinion). I can't wait to read the book, as i heard it's even better than the film. Have any of you seen it/ read the book? I'd love to read what you thought about it!

Wow, that was long! I was going to add some fashion favourites but i'll have to save it for next month.

Saturday, 27 October 2012

If you read my 'I'm Ready...' post you'll know that I'm taking a stab at transitioning to natural. To keep you in the know, as well as a way of tracking progress, I thought it would be nice to do monthly check-ins. So as the title says, I'm now 4 months post (well as of last week). It's been a while since I've taken a picture of my hair on this blog so this is the perfect opportunity.

Now I've always known my hair wasn't completely black but I didn't realise just how brown relaxers made my hair was until I took this photo lol. The black area around my parting is my new growth and natural hair colour. I feel that my new growth is coming in quite nicely. I can not stop touching it though! lol. Does anyone else have this problem? I find that I can't keep my hands out of my hair especially when my hair is air-drying and the curls are extra... curly lol. I need to stop doing that :3

I'm in major need of a trim as you can see! I've been dusting my ends now and then at home but I haven't had a proper trim since April. 'So bad, I know. I think I'll probably do it myself to save some money and to avoid the tuts and frustration of my hairdresser, who I know will try and convince me to relax my hair lol.

Anyway, this month has been stress free really. Styling hasn't been difficult at all. I've been wearing a bun everyday and I try not to touch my hair again until it's time to moisturise and seal in the evening. I've had a few 'pops' from combing my hair too much so I'm trying my hardest to stay. away. from. the. comb. which is going well so far.

Regimen- wise, nothing has changed. I can still wash my hair normally, but in the coming months I may have to switch to washing in sections. I'm still shampoo- washing and deep conditioning once a week and co-washing as normal. The only slight change is that I no longer deep condition after co-washing. I don't think it's made any real difference and its saving me so much time. You can check out my hair care routine here.

Products- wise I'm using exactly the same products but I've incorporated the Mane 'n Tail Detangler into my wash- day routine as it's getting slightly harder than before to detangle my hair. This product has been a godsend for me! I just spray it onto my hair after drying it with a t-shirt and before I apply my leave-in conditioner. I wasn't sure it would work at first but it really does. It leaves my hair feeling fluffy and light. It has a nice, fresh scent and so I find myself liberally spraying it on my hair (which they encourage in the instructions lol).

I'm yet to try the detangler on dry hair, but when I do, I'll be sure to give my review.

Wednesday, 24 October 2012

As autumn/ winter rolls around I know its time for me to protective style up my hair in preparation for the cold. Normally around this time, I love getting braids. Unsure of the exact style I want, I go looking for inspiration all over the place and so this weeks Hair Loveage goes to Janet Jackson! Yes i went old skoool!

It's been such a long time since i've had box braids. I nearly got them last year but then opted out and got senegalese twists instead. This year i'm determined to get box braids done, and i'm thinking about doing them myself, wahey!
Hairstyles like that of Janet Jackson in Poetic Justice are my inspiration at the moment.

Wednesday, 10 October 2012

This time last year, i had just started my final year at university and I had decided to embark upon a hair journey.

I started my blog to coincide with this journey. I thought it would be a nice way to collect all of my thoughts in one place, and to be able to look back on to see my progress and how I've grown as a person. So that evening on 10th October 2011 i logged into my vacant Blogger account, which i hadn't touched since i registered, and put out my first introductory blog post. And that was it! AWindowofThoughts was born! I am aware of how cheesy that sounds lol

I have read back on a few posts that I did in the beginning and thought 'did i really write that?' lol but I can say i'm also quite proud of some of the things i've published and the progress of my hair. You don't actually realise how far you've come until you look at pictures, and if it wasn't for my blog and this whole hair journey i would have never noticed even the minor differences.

If you've read my posts from the earlier days you'll know i used to do a few fashion and beauty related posts. This was mostly when my hair was in braids and i had nothing hair- related to blog about. I might bring those sorts of posts back this year, as i really did enjoy doing them and showing others my fav. clothing and beauty items . What do you guys think?

I love sharing my hair journey with others and receiving feedback from other bloggers. The blogging community is amazing. You guys always leave such nice comments, and such comments have been my motivation to carry on. There were a few times i felt like giving up all together but i'm glad i didn't. I really do enjoy blogging as it allows me to be creative and honest, and the fact my creativity and honesty is appreciated is a great feeling. I would like to say thank you to everyone who has ever left a comment, given me feedback or followed my blog. It really does mean a lot!

I'm excited to see where the next year will take me. Hopefully i'll still have my little space on the web to celebrate a 2nd birthday, and i hope you'll be here to share it with me.

Monday, 8 October 2012

Heyy guys!
A few posts ago i mentioned i had two pieces of exciting news; the first being the opening of my etsy shop (yay! lol) and now i owe you the last piece. This post has been in my drafts folder for sooo long, mostly because i kept changing my mind, but i feel that now is the time to finally publish it. This might be a long one so get comfy!

If you read my last relaxer update, I mentioned that i would try and stretch that relaxer for 6 months. Well since then I've changed my mind slightly and decided to have a go at transitioning to natural! :D

So why have i decided to go natural i hear you ask? Funnily enough I first contemplated going natural a few days before my last relaxer (June). I'd been inspired by a photo (which I cannot find now for the life of me). I became intrigued about my own natural hair and started to wonder whether I should give it a go. As I mentioned in the update, I had a job interview that week and for some reason I had forgotten about my latest ponderings and relaxed my hair anyway. At the time half of me did regret doing this but half of me didn't as I had gotten blind-sided by my hair growth.

However i remember one boring afternoon i started examining my hair/ edges in the mirror, you know, as you do. I've always had an issue with my edges but a closer look really changed my perspective on things. Upon a closer look, my hair follicles looked damaged (almost scaley). I became worried and so i made a conscious decision to leave it alone completely and give up on the creamy crack. I did think about self relaxing so that I could control the whole relaxing process but I'm worried about over/under-processing my hair which is what happened when i used to self relax. If that wasn't bad enough, I also noticed that my a small section of my crown area was quite dry and didn't feel right. I examined it in the mirror to find I had severe breakage. I didn't know what to do. I know now that the reason for this was due to my clip ins. It's gotten much better now from the help of JBCO, not touching it, and not wearing the clip-ins. If I were to wear them again I would definitely clip them onto cornrows instead of just my sectioned hair.

I mentioned earlier that I kept changing my mind about doing this post; mostly because I kept changing my mind about the whole transition. A part of me is fully for the decision due to the state of my edges and a part of me just didn't see myself completing the transition. I have to say that these parts of me were not equal. Probably 70-30 lol so I knew I would end up doing it regardless.

I remember the first person i actually told was my brother lol. He claims he knows about hair but he doesn't lol. He was surprisingly quite supportive in my decision. I went on to tell my mum to which her response was 'Okayyy, Becks'. I think she took what i said with a pinch of salt. My mum is what you call a relaxer stan! She would never give up her relaxers lol.
The response from friends has actually been quite good, as a few of my close friends are natural anyway. Naturally there was one who didn't quite understand why and tried to talk me out of it, but it's cool. I didn't let it mess up my mind frame.

To be honest it is going to be weird for me as I've had straight hair more or less my whole life, but I'm excited to wear my natural curls. I've been relaxed from a very young age. I still haven't gotten a definitive answer from my mum as to why she chose to relax my hair, but its along the lines of that it was more manageable. I am slightly nervous about natural hair and its manageability but I'm going to view it the same as my relaxed hair journey. Before i started my hair journey i had no idea what I was doing or how to properly look after my hair but I learnt and I'm open and willing to learn how to look after my hair in it's natural state. It might be more time consuming but I honestly don't mind.

To get myself used to it ahead of time (looks-wise) I've been doing braidouts and twistouts quite often. Twistouts are probably my favourite at the moment.
I still have that tiny, itty bitty bit of doubt that I wont be able to complete it but I'm trying to stay as motivated as I can. A great motivator for me at the moment is @TheNaturalCommunity on Instagram. They post daily photos of ladies with natural hair. Check them out if you haven't already! Another great motivator for me is YouTube. I spend a bit tooo much time on YT lol but there are some videos I know will be a massive help down the line.

Ok so lets talk about my hair! I'll be 4 months post as of next week. I've come to realise i haven't shown my hair on my blog in a while! I haven't done a length check either since my last relaxer. I'm not into length checks as much as i was before. I've switched to new growth checks lol. I find myself constantly checking out my new growth now. As my hair was airdrying yesterday I noticed my curl pattern and I loves it! :)

So, I think that's all I have to say for now! I hope I didn't come across as a so called Natural Ninja. I still love relaxed hair and have come across soo many people who have had successful relaxed hair journeys, but I'm ready to explore the natural in me! :)
I think I'm going to leave this post pictureless as I haven't done one of those in a while. But images to support this will be coming in a few posts time!

I'd love to hear from anyone who is transitioning right now. What have been your ups and downs through your transition? And any tips will be greatly appreciated! Take Care :)

Tuesday, 25 September 2012

So two posts ago i shared with you my deep conditioner mix. I'm temporarily trying out the Tresemme Naturals conditioner with a few other bits and bobs until i can go and purchase my regular conditioner (Elasta QP Intense Fortifying Conditioning Treatment).

The thing i love about the Elasta QP conditioner is that it contains silk proteins so i am able to keep my hair strengthened during the week with a light form of protein. It also is super moisturising and so i find that it has the right protein- moisture balance for me.

Unfortunately the Tresemme conditioner is a moisturising conditioner and so it lacks the protein my hair craves. SO after browsing the interwebs i discovered a way to fix my temporary problem... Coconut Milk!

It may sound strange but coconut milk has a great source of protein. It's light, and can added to your mix with ease. I purchased my can of CM from Asda for just 89p!

To create the mix i added 1/4 cup of the Tresemme conditioner, 1 tablespoon of Honey, approx. 3 drops of Castor oil and three drops of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to my mixing bowl. I heated a 1/4 of a cup of the coconut milk for a few seconds in a pot. This is optional but i just did this to remove any clumps and bumps. I then added the CM to my mixing bowl.

Tip: mix and add in the CM gradually or the mixture can get really watery. I had to learn this the hard way.

I then proceeded to apply the mix to my hair as normal.

Some benefits of Coconut Milk for the hair:

- Can promote growth

- Effective at controlling excessive hair loss

- Contains Vitamin E and high levels of fat which work well to moisturise hair

- No harmful side effects

- Helps to control dandruff

- Can be used alone as a protein treatment.

Honestly, i do like this method and i did feel and see a comparison between this and my former mix without the CM. However it does seem like it would be a hassle in the long run. I think that, like most, i would prefer to buy one product that has it all rather than buying separate products. So with saying, that i cannot wait to repurchase my Elasta QP conditioner! lol. But this method has definitely helped in the meantime. :)

so feel free to have a look around and get your hands on a piece of jewellery if it takes your fancy.

So far i have 8 pieces listed but i'll be adding more during the week. The rings are all vintage and so you'll have to be quick to snatch them up, but there are plenty of earrings.

All items are made by myself. I also offer a made to order service, and so if there is a specific requirement you need or design you would like then feel free to make a request by emailing me at rebecca.awot@gmail.com

I will be shipping items everywhere :) but shipping costs will apply. However keep your eyes peeled for discount codes which will be coming to you soon!

Anyway, i hope you like! :D

I'd love some feedback (good and bad) from my fellow bloggers so get in touch! :)

Wednesday, 5 September 2012

I thought i'd share with you a new deep conditioner mix i'm trying out.

As you can see it consists of the Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Castor Oil and Honey.

If you read a previous post of mine you'll know that i didn't have the best time with Honey when i used it as a hot oil treatment, but i figured i'd give it a try as part of my deep conditioner mix; one, because i hate wasting things and two, because it was no longer edible.

The consistency of the mix is quite thick and almost resembles lumpy custard lol, so it's great for really moisturising my new growth.

The Tresemme Naturals Conditioner itself has a lovely aroma with one of its main ingredients being avocado oil and so it gives off a very fresh scent.

Tuesday, 28 August 2012

Today i thought i'd share with you my Holiday Hair Care Essentials. I've just arrived back from an amazing holiday in Italy and boy was it hot! Here's a list of the hair items i took with me and a few things i wished i had packed. Hopefully this will help anyone who's stuck on what to take/ how to continue with their routine when abroad.

1. Heat Protectant.
It's usually assumed that heat protectants are used when applying direct heat to your hair, but they can also help to protect your hair from the rays of the sun. A quick spritz of a heat protectant can also prevent the hair from looking and feeling dry throughout the day. I used Tresemme's Iron Style and Hold Spray. I think that getting a heat protectant in the spray form is the best option as it allowed me to easily distribute it to my hair before i ventured out into town. Tresemme also do their products in travel sizes which is great! So you can even carry it around with you during the day.

2. Mini Bottles/ Spray bottle/ Travel kit
These are so handy and free up a lot of space in your suitcase. Instead of taking large 300ml bottles of your moisturiser, shampoo, conditioner, leave ins etc, you could opt to transfer them into travel bottles. This is something i will definitely do next time. Travel bottle kits are very inexpensive and i would recommend checking out Primark where you can pick up a pack of 3 bottles and 3 pots for just £1!

3. Accessories
My next holiday hair essentials are accessories. I made sure i still kept up my protective styling game and so i brought all types of accessories from hair bands, pins and clips to hold my styles together. Other accessories include a nice summer hat to not just protect your face but your hair also. They're great at covering bad hair days too!

4. Swimming hat
Now, if you know me you'd know that i love to swim. My Mum says i was like a fish when i was younger as i just loved being in the water lol. A good ol' swimming hat will stop your hair from getting wet and will stop the chlorine/ salt water leaving you with dry hair. For those of you who'd rather not wear a swimming hat i have an alternative! Before hitting the pool, apply an oil of your choice to your hair or pour water onto your hair. Water and oil act as barriers to the chlorine leaving you able to swim freely with your tresses out.

So those are my 4 holiday hair care essentials. I hope they were helpful to someone out there. Feel free to leave your holiday hair care essentials as a comment below!

I have two exciting pieces of news but i shall reveal all later. So 'til next time, take care folks!

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I own all of the images on this blog, unless otherwise stated. Any products i have used and reviewed on this blog have been purchased with my own money, unless stated otherwise. Please ask permission before taking any of my pictures. Thanks :)

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23 year old Finance graduate from London! Strong passion for hair care, art & photography!
This blog is an insight into my world, so i hope you enjoy it. Feel free to comment and follow if you like :) x